Overcoming Resistance - Doing what you can’t seem to get done.

“You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.” Henry Ford

A frequent comment I often hear from is that people feel they are performing below their potential in their business or career. I used to think they were being perfectionists, after all we are always our own harshest critic.

As I dig a little deeper, it seems to be something else. They know what they want to do, the action to take that would advance them in the direction they want to go. For some reason they do not take that action, they are seemingly resistant to taking it.

It is these actions, that can make the difference between being average or extraordinary at what we do.

While it is not the same task for all of us, it could be making a phone call, asking for an appointment, or highlighting some recent accomplishment to others. Whatever the task, their result share a common characteristic. Successful completion of the task would mean increased visibility in some way. I am not referring to fame, but visibility within one’s professional world, whether it would be a higher profile position, having to give speeches, or a myriad of other ways we might be noticed more.

A good way to tell that it is resistance is by noticing how you react to it. If shortly after thinking of the activity, you are surfing the internet, checking email, throwing yourself into a neutral project, it is probably a good sign. The source of resistance is varied. Is one of the key reasons that it might come up are the job is not a good fit, fear of failure, fear of success, discomfort with increased profile.

Resistance can be a pretty powerful force. There is not one easy route to overcome resistance, it requires us to be able to see ourselves in a different light. What would it look like if we had the success that completing these actions would bring? Who would I need to be to take these actions? What is the next thing I would do if the resistance wasn’t there?

If you are coming up against resistance, a good place to start is by noticing it when it comes up. If you are working in your office, and have the thought to call someone, you feel the hesitancy and then choose to check your email, that is o.k. Start to notice it, and notice the choice that you are making. By increasing your awareness around when resistance comes up for you and what potential actions provoke the it, you will reap valuable information to work with towards reducing the resistance.

Email me and let me know what you find out.